Something to be said for eating at home........sometimes.

It's interesting, you travel out of town, you are staying in hotels, and you have to eat, so where do you go? Well first thing is to ask for recommendations from friends. Other ways are to ask for recommendations from hotel staff, because if it turns out bad, it's the staff who sees you when you return and you'll surely tell them about your experiences.

Another way might be to look up local restaurants on restaurant.com. Restaurant.com has many listings, and can even provide you with some very interesting coupon discounts to the local eateries. But don't stop there. Once you get your recommendation, look it up on Yelp.com, and READ the reviews. They can be very informative and save you some headaches, before you purchase your restaurant.com coupon.

Recently we visited a very small restaurant in St. Germain WI called the Wolf Pack Cafe. It is in a small North Woodsie strip mall and seems very uninviting and nothing special about it. The interior is also a North Woods decorated atmosphere, with plenty of sports memorabilia, and of course, photos of Wolves.....duh! But the big surprise at this place was the food. Actually, darn good gourmet food to say the least. We started off our meal with a cup of soup. The flavor was called "Darn Good Soup", and it certainly was. It was very similar to Italian Wedding Soup, but with a tomato base, yesterday's left over hamburgers, shell noodles, and vegetables, along with some very interesting spices. DELICIOUS!!!

Our next course was split between the two of us and was a salad that consisted of Spinach, fresh blueberries, sliced strawberries and walnuts, covered in a dressing that was familiar in taste but I simply could not put my finger on exactly what it was made of, although I did suspect a touch of miracle whip dressing. Our sandwich was the best of all. It was served on sliced home made toasted Asiago baked bread, and filled with fresh basil, mozzarella cheese, and fresh tomato. Again DELICIOUS!
This was followed by Home Made Banana Cream Pie, and a slice of Home Made Coconut Cream Pie, and deliciously tasting fresh coffee.....

Now you have to get there early if you want to try the food here, because they are only open from 6:00AM to 1:30PM. We were pleasantly surprised at the creativity of the chef's creations, and the quality and tast of the food. I'd give it five stars, and it is the best place we have eaten, so far, on our Northern WI adventure so far.

Our evening meal was at a restaurant in Minocqua WI called "Matt Morgans". We started off our evening with Bloody Mary. Our table was situated on a windowed porch like area over looking beautiful Lake Minocqua. At first the service was quite quick. Our Drinks were served promptly. They did not expect so many customers for a Monday evening, according to the waiter. Our appetizer consisted of chicken wings, and they were served with our choice of sauces. We chose the Sweet Baby Rays Barbecue, an Asian Sesame Seed, and a Buffalo Spicy. Later, as we were eating, he also brought a ranch and a blue cheese. All of them were very good, but the Buffalo was not very spicy or hot to the taste.

Our next course was a cup of Broccolli and Cheddar Cheese soup and a cup of Spicy Mexican Bean. Both were very good also. So far, so good. We were well on our way to enjoying our meal. However, we over heard a trio at the next table complain of the wine they ordered. They had ordered a Shiraz, and I heard the gentleman state that he though it was old, and wanted to know if it came from a "fresh" bottle. The waiter apologized and checked with the bar tender and ensured him it was a fresh bottle and would he like to choose another selection. The gentleman switched to a Chardonnay and I never heard him complain after that.

We waited a long time for our main course. The waiter was certainly overwelmed, and I am sure the kitchen was the same. I ordered the Barbecued Ribs, and my companion ordered the Baked Walleye, with a cream sauce. The ribs were obviously not freshly made, and were somewhat cold. They did fall off the bone, but were not up to our expectations. The walleye would have been good, although somewhat slightly on the cold side, if the chef had not over salted it. Needless to say, we did not stay for desert. Now I must mention that even with our $25.00 off coupon, we still paid an additional $48.00. Way over priced for the service, taste and quality.

Now the best place we have found for evening dinner was "Sister's Saloon" in Arbor Vitae WI. There steaks are great, and their ribs were the best ever. Our host, Heidi, said she and her husband are the new owners and have had it for three years. The Bloody Mary's were terrific, and Heidi made sure they were filled with the local accompaniments of olives, pickle, mushrooms, and pickled brussel sprouts. The steak was a broiled prime rib, plentiful in size. The barbecued ribs were also a half rack, but I swear they gave me a full rack, or I dread what the size of a full rack might be. The portion was huge. I also had a garlic mashed potatoes, and a beef barley soup. We would always go back there for the food, great hosts, and atmousphere.

All in all, we are continuing our tour of the Northwoods, and will continue to explore the many fine restaurants as we travel about.

Pinstripes!

Sometimes your not looking, and you just happen to come across something really fantastic! Such was the case yesterday, as we left the Lake and Cabin Show being held at the Schaumburg Convention Center. I wanted to kill some time before going back to Chicago, because it was a Friday afternoon, it was the beginning of rush hour, and we certainly did not want to get caught in the traffic snarl that was about start.

So I took a short ride over to Cabelas Sporting Goods to kill some time. This was the first of our treasure finds. They have an area of the store they call the "Bargain Cave". It is the end of the winter season and the bargains were fantastic. Picked up a Columbia 100% Goose Down vest. Originally $79.95, now on sale $19.00. Got a nice sport shirt, originally 39.00, now 12.00. Pretty good haul for an unexpected trip. Looked at all of the other deals in the cave, and although there were many, just couldn't bring myself to load up. But we did make out pretty good with what we did buy.

HUNGRY!

Next stop, find a place to eat. We drove drove down Higgans Road to a fairly new mall. I had been there before with our friends Kathy and Pat at a restaurant called Cooper's Hawk, and that was where I was headed, when I spotted a bowling alley in the mall. It was called "Pinstripes". Now you have to understand where we were. The Mall is in a location called Barrington. This particular town boast million dollar homes. So the area is kind of mid to higher end on the economic income scale.

The sign on the outside of Pinstripes says "Bowling, Bocce, and Bistro". It was the Bistro that caught my attention, and I convinced my companion that we should go in and check it out. AND WE'RE GLAD WE DID!

As you enter the building there is a huge bar, to the left are about six Bocce Courts, and to the right is a bowling alley of about twenty or so lanes. But where is the Bistro part? As we walked around checking every thing out, we happened upon an entrance way behind the bar that led us into the eatery. It was very well decorated with many booths and tables, but it was done with class and style.

We were immediately met by a member of their team, sat in our booth, and menus provided. Our waiter, Christopher, took our drink order and also took the time to explain all about the establishment. As a former restaurant owner, I could not help but notice how well the staff got along. The all seemed to really enjoy what they were doing. The helped each other out in ways unimaginable for a restaurant. Now don't get me wrong, this IS NOT a fast food place, nor would I call it a chain, but it is a very up scale restaurant with very reasonable pricing. And you know what? The food was fantastic, the service was terrific, and we'd go back in a heartbeat.

I'll bet that during our stay we had as many as six or seven team members take care of us. The first thing they brought to the table was a vessel filled with fresh brick oven baked bread slices, with a dish of spiced olive oil. Our first course was the Louisiana Barbecued Shrimp. FANTASTIC! I ordered a bowl of their Wild Rice and Chicken soup. It was also great. Now here is what made them stand out. When the soup was delivered, my companion asked for an extra spoon so she could taste my soup. What did the waitress do? She said "why certainly", and came back with the spoon, but she also came back with a small cup of soup for my friend to enjoy of her very own. Great service huh? But it gets even better. Christopher came over and asked us how we enjoyed the soup. I told him it was great.... So what did he do.....he then came back with three small dished, each one containing a small sample of their other soups. They were also very, very good soups.

Our main course was to follow. I had the Ahi Tuna salad and my friend had the chopped salad. Both were fantastic. Christopher had suggested some wine for dinner. But since I was driving, I ordered Ginger Ale, but my friend ordered a flight. This consisted of a large board, upon which were four glasses. One each of different wines. They were generous portions to say the least. And each and every one of them were excellent. Of course I had to take a taste.

As we finished we both said that we were full, the portions were right, and the food was great. Christopher came back and asked us how every thing was, and said he would be back with dessert. I thought that meant a menu, but no, he did better than that. He came back to the table and had in his hand another large plank. On it were two small pieces of cheese cake, a dollop of whipped cream with a huge strawberry, a dollop of whipped cream with a cherry, some sliced grapes and two small pieces of flour less chocolate cake. UNBELIEVABLE!!!! Great Service, good food, great atmosphere. BUT IT WASN'T OVER YET!

When Christopher came back with the check he had two other items with him. They were two wrist bands. He said if we came back and wore them we would be greeted with a complimentary glass of wine. This free complimentary wine service was good for life. He also had a couple of cards that said "Thanks" and if we provided them with our email they would let us know about upcoming events and specials. BUT WE'RE STILL NOT DONE!

As we were leaving, we noticed a gentleman setting up a keyboard and equipment. I looked up and noticed a sign that said "Every Friday and Saturday Evening, Live Blues and Jazz". Although we could not stay for the music, I thought, "You've got to be kidding, great food, great service, live entertainment, fun activities, great staff. What more could you ask for? And was it expensive? Not for what we got, the total bill was $62.00, and of course, Christopher got a well deserved tip. What more can I say, but great, great, great!

Now I have traveled all over the world in my lifetime, and I have eaten in some of the best restaurants. But this place, Pinstripes, by far, tops my list. I only wish there were some of them out East for my New England friends to try. But they'll just have to suffer, unless they have a chance to visit the Midwest. But my Blues Friend Mikey, at www.boundarywatersradio.com, well Mikey, you are in luck because there is one in Edina MN. I don't know where that is but I am sure you'll find it. For the rest of you, I highly recommend you check out Pinstripes at www.pinstripes.com surely you won't regret it.........

You Can't Taste the Glass

The shape, the size, and the handle on the vessel, do nothing to enhance or add to the taste of a Bloody Mary! But, depending on where you go, there is a marked difference between establishments and taste. And so it goes as I spent this past week on my quest to find the perfect Bloody Mary.

Traveling far up north into the wilderness of Northern Wisconsin, I landed at the Chantecleer Resort in Eagle River. In some ways I fully expected to see Jack Nicholson come out from around a corner, as we quickly nicknamed this place the "Shining Hotel". But how were we to know that we would be the only registered guests in the place for our wintery stay? And although they do put out a very attractive website, it's probably better to ask around and read reviews before committing to a stay.

Our host (Jake) was very quick to grab our deposit, prior to our arrival, and just as quick to charge off the rest as soon as we arrived. This stopped us in our tracks from checking out due to NO possibility of a refund. It would appear that the first week of March is NOT a good time to travel up "North" as it is in between seasons.

The suite we had was accomodating, and certainly well worth the price, but due to the lack of customers, there was no maid service for the entire ten days we were here, the restaurant was closed down the Monday after we arrived, and we had to call the office for additional toilet paper, along with being expected to empty our own room garbage cans. This certainly is not the Marriott or Hilton, but it did serve as our base of operations for the time we were here. The Snomobiling in the area was terrific though.

The local restaurants we visited were also very accomodating. We went to places like the White Tail Inn, Lumpy's, Sayner Pub, DJs Family Restaurant, Brayward Resort, 3c's, Pitliks Resort, Chi's Red Steer, and The Granery, just to name a few. And we did spend some time at Trigs, the local grocery store chain.

A lot of our time was spent traveling between Eagle River, St. Germain, and Minocqua, checking out everything there was to offer. We just wanted to get familiar with the area. And you know what? It's pretty nice up here. The people were so exceptionally friendly that there could be a move up here in the very near future, but we'll have to wait and see.

Now as long as you are up in the North Woods, you have to partake in some of the local traditions, and this is what started us on our quest for the perfect Bloody Mary. We had snowmobiled from St. Germain through the North Woods to our first stop, which was Pitlik's Resort. It was while sitting at the bar, that I noticed a woman at the end, with a huge glass, filled with a red mystery juice. I asked the bartender what it was, and low and behold it was the biggest Bloody Mary I had ever seen. SO____I just had to have one, and with the typical line from the Billy Crystal movie, I said, "I'll have what she's having". It was delicious. A huge goblet with a spicy mix of juices that went down to pallette ever so smoothly. When it was presented, there was another tiny mug filled with beer. THIS, was the "Chaser". But the bloody mary had a whole host of additives to compliment the experience. A jumbo shrimp resting on the rim of the glass, along with a pickled mushroom, large olive, spiced asparagus speer, pickle, and a celery stalk. The rim had been salted with celery salt, deeeelicious! I also got a punch card. For each one I ordered, they would punch the card. Ten punches and the next drink was free.

And so it started, the quest was on.

My next encounter was at the Sayner Pub, in where else but Sayner WI. Our waiter was quick to state, "Our Bloddy Mary's were voted the sixth best in the state. And they too were very good. A huge 22 once stove pipe glass with a mug handle filled with the magical elixir, along with an olive, pickled mushroom, pickle, spiced stringbean, whole celery stalk, a beef stick and also the celery salt. And don't forget the Beer Chaser in the little mug. Excellent and it did live up to the quality the waiter preached. Four stars!

Next on our stop was the Brayward Resort. Here the Bloody Mary is served in a Mason Jar with a handle. I am only going to give this one a one star rating. Although the owner was the most gracious and friendly of hosts, the elixir was complemented with the usual array of salad fixings, but I thought it was kind of tacky to be served a chaser in a three once plastic cup. Taste was ok, but not up to my high standards of pleasure. Also, the salad fixins seemed not to be the freshest.

Lumpy's in Eagle River was also not on a par with some of the others. No attempt here was made to enhance their Bloody Mary presentation, nor was any chaser even offered. Taste also was just OK, nothing to write about, so we'll give it two stars.

And then there is always the unexpected. The little surprise that comes along every once in a while, and that was the Minocqua restaurant called Chy's Red Steer. www.chysredsteer.com

Our host, Tom, (one of the owners) was very friendly, talkative and gracious. There was nothing fancy in his choice of recepticle or presentation, but he did have all of the accompaniments of pickled mushroom, spiced bean spear, beef stick, huge olive, and pickle. But what made Tom's Bloody Mary stand out was the taste. It was made with a top shelf vodka, and it also was made with his OWN mixture of tomato juice and selected spices. It was so good, I couldn't help but have a second one. I wanted a third, but I was driving and did not want to drink and drive. It would be a couple of hours for dinner, and I would be ok by then, coke with the meal followed by the best coffee I had tasted on my trip. Kudos to you Tom and I am giving you five stars. Your Bloody Mary proves, it is not the glass it is served in, it is not the fancyness of the restaurant, but it is the taste that really counts!

So if your ever in the North Woods area of Wisconsin, and especially in the Minocqua area, you have to check out Chy's Red Steer Supper Club. Old world charm, and great food too! I also should mention for a moment about their food. We had their "all you can eat" fish fry, which is only served on Friday night. You get your choice of perch or white fish. They also supply an assortment of crackers and a cheese spread, rolls and butter, and water without asking. We chose the white fish, and there was no need for any second helpings as the three pieces that were placed in front of us were huge in size and certainly filled our palates. The chefs are right there in front of you preparing your meal on a huge butcher block table, so you can see all of your food being prepared. And the desert is to die for. We ordered the seven layer chocolate cake. But better than cake, each layer was a desert on it's own. The bottom layer was a moist devils food, followed by a dark chocolate mousse, white chocolate mousse and other layers that were simply delicious. I can't wait to go back and try one of their aged steaks, which I will certainly do in the near future......hmmmm, maybe today!

Moving Day is Finally Here!

Ever sell a house? Well tomorrow is closing day, and the home I built, mostly with my own hands, will be gone for me, forever. The only thing left will be the memories it contained. Mostly good, while some were trying, but overall the last fifteen years in this home were times that will never be forgotten. And I can fondly reflect on them, just by closing my eyes and remembering.

It's amazing how much "stuff" one can accumulate over a fifteen year period. It's also amazing how much money collects in the cracks and crevices of furniture voids. Found three bucks in change in an old chair and in the couch. Also found a remote control for a Cannon Video camera, need one? I'm sure the owner no longer has the camera or has replaced the control by now. Maybe I'll put it on Ebay, and see what happens?

And then there's all of the packing to do. So far, I have filled three storage lockers with my "stuff", but it's just a temporary place to keep them, until my new place is finished with construction. I'm sure when the time comes, I'll downsize that stuff too. Did I mention that the closing is tomorrow? Final walk through today for the new owners, hope I didn't leave the place too messy. Tried my best to vaccuum and clean, but everyone has their own standards for neatness and being tidy. Besides, I'm getting old, and it's tough to do this all by yourself. Hope I measure up. I can't believe how many mattresses and box springs I have. But....still have to go there early tomorrow, before the final closing, and remove a few more items and get rid of all of the filled garbage bags I left on the deck. Disposal of these things are cumbersome when you live in a rural setting and cancelled the garbage pickup. But it's all in bags and I do have a place in a dumpster, (friend of mines) to dispose of them.

When I stand here and look around at all the empty rooms, I can't help but wonder and think about all the guests that have stayed here over the years. From small groups to large crowds, there were many fun times had here. When I think of it, it's actually a very big house. Five bedrooms, and three baths, in fact! Way to big for me now. There was a time that this house had actually slept 18 people. I remember it well, it was for a New Years Eve party. Plenty of good food and drink, and I never had to worry about anyone driving home, 'cause they all stayed here.

There are so many things that have collected over the years. Right now I am cleaning and packing, cleaning and packing. What do I do with all of the open liquor? Didn't really know, so I offered it to my friend Tim, all of the booze from the bar, and he gladly accepted. Fifteen bottles of everything imaginable from Rums to Tequila, to Wiskeys. Don't need it anymore. I'm not much of a drinker, just had it on hand for guests.

As I look around, there are many memories and fun times that took place here. But then again, that's life. We reflect on the good times in our lives, hopefully much more so than the bad, and move on. It's those good memories that make us feel good, and undo the sadness in our lives. But now it's time to build a new chapter in this book called life, and move on by building a new future, and leaving the past behind.

I only hope the new owners will also build a great future in this house, and will be able to share many similar fond memories of their own. For me, it's time to downsize. Right now, the future looks very exciting, and I anxiously look forward to what it has bring with it. I'm kinda looking forward to going back to my roots, and I will be enjoying some of the things I haven't done in years! I'm reconnecting with old friends, making some new ones, and have a new partner to enjoy the future, and all that it has to bring with it. Soon, I'll only have one more move to make, and that's from storage to the new place. The summer will be exciting, and the future will be too! Hope to see you there!

A Day in the Life of a Nobody: Children, and The Joy They Are!

A Day in the Life of a Nobody: Children, and The Joy They Are!: Well it's been a long time since I've had the pleasure of spending time with my grandaughter. She is such a joy to be with, and, alth...

Children, and The Joy They Are!

Well it's been a long time since I've had the pleasure of spending time with my grandaughter. She is such a joy to be with, and, although I know many, many of my friends have grandchildren of their own, and feel pretty much the same way as I, when it comes to spending time with them, I can't help but feel she is the best of all of them, as I am sure they feel the same about theirs.

It is quite an interesting observation when you watch and observe, over time, a child develop and grow their own unique personalities, how they change from a baby face to a face that really distinguishes them from all others, and how they mature as they learn new things, especially things that you have trouble understanding and learning.

Recently, I was at a Christmas party the building was hosting for all of the tenants. One of the families that came down from the 35th floor was a mother and her three young ones. Two girls and a boy. The oldest daughter, about ten, was dressed so elegant for a young lady her age. Not overly flamboyant, but just enough dressiness to attend a party. But the really interesting thing about this family was the young boy. He was about three. He was being held in his mothers arms as she straddled him on her hip, and in his hands he was holding his mothers smart phone.

I watched with interest as he cradled it, while prodding its face with his tiny little fingers. He tapped and swiped, searched, and swiped some more, and then all of a sudden he was watching a video of Sponge Bob, on HULU. Simply Amazing! Three years old and already he had mastered a device that when relating to me, my own grandson posted on his Facebook page, "Is it illegal to give a Smart Phone, to a dumb person" as he humorously poked fun of me, when I first got my Blackberry, and was having trouble using it.

So it was with no surprise that when my Grandaughter, seven years old, came over and took control of our Nintendo Wii game. I observed the mastery of knowledge that the youth of today possess. She first created a unique caricature of me, she called it a Mii, and to her own amusement, and without any effort, she started to unlock games and find new, that I didn't even know were there. And you know what? While she did this, she took the time to explain the inner workings of the Wii game and how it worked. It was like attending a seminar for the Wii, being led by a seven year old, as lectured to two people in their sixties. SIMPLY AMAZING, AND A LOT OF FUN TOO!

Then to top it off, she showed us how we could get Netflix videos on the thing, how we could get the weather reports and news, and a host of other features, we didn't even know existed. While she was talking, she started one of the bowling games. She told us we needed "Numchucks" for certain games, like tennis, and when showing us the features on the bowling game, she showed us how to put spin on the ball, angle the shots, and stylize our approach when delivering the ball for the shot. SEVEN YEARS OLD!!!

WHAT NEXT? Well how about lessons on how to use your new HTC Smart Phone? Yep, she then started to show us how to do different things on that too. I think the difference between adults using all of these new technologies, and children, is that they are not afraid to fail, while we are afraid of screwing something up, or breaking something. The one thing that they have come to learn, it that all you have to do is shut it off, and reboot........ Wouldn't it be wonderful if the mistakes you made in your life were that simple, I.E. all you have to do is shut down and reboot, and everything would go back to the way it was before?

Pretty soon it was time to depart, time to regroup her with her mom until we meet again the next time. I look forward to seeing what surprises she'll bring with her? What new things will she have learned? I simply cannot wait. This child has a bright future ahead of her. I just hope old grandpa sticks around long enough to see it all unfold........... I love you MAC!

HOMELESS!!!!

In my last blog, I talked about my observations of the "Cup Guys". But since then I was seriously thinking about what it must really be like to be "Homeless". I mean just think of it. What if you were at a friends home visiting, it was time to leave, and YOU had nowhere to go? No home to go to, no furniture, no apartment, no personal items except what you could carry on your back, and certainly NO mailing address, no TV, no heat, no electric, no shower, no bathroom, nowhere to wash your face, brush your teeth, NOTHING!!!

WHAT WOULD YOU DO? A better question would be what goes on in your mind. How do you cope? How in today's world did you get in this dilema in the first place?

I know a lot of folks might think that when they see a homeless person, there is something wrong with the person, a mental deficiency, they must be criminals, alcoholics, or druggies, PTSD Vets, etc. OR....... could it be as simple as they are the byproducts of today's poor economic times????

I really think today's sociologists are collecting the wrong data. In other words, what percentage of those that are homeless are simply because they lost their jobs, looked and looked, but meanwhile their unemployment ran out, they could no longer pay their bills, lost their homes, and are now out in the cold, as opposed to the other reasons previously mentioned above.

Even among the homless we have a couple of social levels of hierarchy. What are they you might ask? Well..... there are those who might have a car, or those who still have a job. How can someone be homeless and have a car or a job? Because when they became homeless, the car was an asset that was already paid for, so they already had it before the travesty hit them or they were downsized in the workplace with a cut in pay. Are they more better off that those who don't have a car or a job.....well somewhat. How so, you state? Because it provides them with some mobility, provided they can put gas in it, insure it, etc. Now if we are talking about the person with a job, it might provide them with some perks like insurance, dental, or other benefits, but not enough income to provide enough financial stability. Remember, homeless might mean that one does not have a home, but it does not necessesarily mean they have no income whatsoever.

There are the elderly who might be on Social Security. They get a monthly income, but it's not enough to afford an apartment or room, or there are others who might be on SSI, but it still isn't enough to completely make ends meet. Did you know there are those who lost their homes due to the simple fact that their income has not kept up with the economy cost of living increases, or real estate taxes, food costs, mortgage payments, etc.

This evening, while in the car, I was listening to one of Chcago's Alderman on the radio. He is running for Clerk of the Courts. It was interesting to note that one of the things he was saying was that in his Ward there are 56 forclosed and vacant home in a four block radius. There are many instances of four to six families living in the same apartment. Is this what America is all about, he said? He also said one of his main goals was to enlist the aid of the community to help out and get these homes occupied. Otherwise the neghborhood will certainly be reduced to decay. When that happens crime increases too. Is this what America is all about? Certainly not! But right now, it's what we have to deal with.

So what can we do? It has become appearant to me that, there might be less homeless in other cultural societies where they have very strong family units, and strong family ties. They would think nothing of taking in their kinfolk and providing them with shelter. They would not ask themselves whether it was a long term or short term committment they are making, they just do it, and don't ask any questions when asked to commit. However, conversly it also seems to me that in some third generation American family units, that concept, of making that family sharing committment, seems to have eluded them. Although they might sympathize with the plight of their relative in the beginning, they would never share their home with them on a long term basis. Evntually there would be the development of stress on th, who might become homeless, e head of household, or other members of the original family unit, and the new family tenant would simply have to go.

There is no real solution to the points that I bring up. At least not at this time. All I can do here is to try to raise awareness of the plight of the homeless and how you might be able to help members of your own family if the situation should arise. I am hoping to get you to think differently about making the committment to helping a family member out, if there ever becomes an opportunity for you to do so, and you would be one of the champions of helping to avoid another person from living on the streets........